Lipsey, Mark W.

(b. 1946, Iowa City, Iowa). Ph.D. Psychology, Johns Hopkins University; B.S. Applied Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology.

The main focus of Lipsey's work has related to the synthesis of evaluation research findings to describe the cumulative evidence about the effects of social programs. This has involved application of meta-analysis techniques, with which he focused mainly on the area of antisocial behavior. He has also contributed to the methodological discussion in evaluation, especially with regard to the statistical power and [Page 231]“design sensitivity” of experimental and quasiexperimental designs for field research.

His interest and orientation to evaluation were strongly influenced by Don Campbell, especially his works on quasiexperimentation and evolutionary epistemology that appeared during the years when Lipsey was in graduate school. Initially Lipsey was a physics major ...